Sean

Book League selection that I enjoyed more than I thought I was going to.

Wow. Thats all I can say right now.

The first time I opened I Kill Giants, I read about 5 or 6 pages. The second time, I finished the rest of it. This book has a truly phenomenal sense of character and story. Every aspect is just so fully realized that you immediately are connected to what is going on. I don't want to spoil things or go in to too much detail here, but I was definitely not expecting this book to be such an emotional journey. I'd be lying if I said that I did not completely break down at one point.

But its not just the story that is great. I didn't think much of the art at first, but by the end of the book I realized how perfectly the artwork matched the words that were written on the page. By they time I got to the climax, I was spending far more time enjoying the visuals that the book has to offer.

That combination of story and art are what truly make a great comic or graphic novel. I Kill Giants is a book that fits perfectly in its medium, and would be lesser if it were only words like in a novel or strictly something more visual, like a film. It is a great example of what makes storytelling in comics unique, and I will be lending it out and recommending it to everyone, not just those who read comics already.

3.5

Came to The Wake to introduce myself to Snyder's work, as I thought a shorter horror volume would be a good entry point. But Sean Murphy's art is what really blew me away. Couldn't quite get on board with the ending, but overall it was a solid way to spend a couple of smaller reading sessions.

Maybe I'm just drinking Mother Culture's kool aid, but reading this book felt like I was at a party and listening to the slightly stoned and drunk guy who is holding court and telling everyone how it is and how it should be.

Superb.